Cuyahoga Community CollegePhysical Therapist Assisting Program
Area of Study: Physical Therapist Assisting Technology
Degree/Certificate: Associate of Applied Science degree in Physical Therapist Assisting Technology
Program Location: Metropolitan Campus
Program Start: The program accepts 24 students each year. Each new cohort of students starts in the fall semester.
Application Deadline: No deadline- Program accepts applicants with ALL prerequisites completed on first come basis into the next open cohort.
If you are not already an active Tri-C student, you must first apply to the college. If you are interested in more than one health careers program, you must submit a separate health careers application for each program. You may only apply to three programs at one time.
If you like to help people and enjoy working with body movement, physical therapist assisting may be a rewarding career for you. As a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), you’ll help people to recover from accidents, injuries, illness, stroke and other debilitating events.
Physical therapy helps to ease pain and improve function caused by injury, disease or other causes. Services include assisted movement, exercise
The Physical Therapist Assisting Program will prepare you for a professional
Tri-C students get clinical experience with real patients at more than 75 clinical sites in northeast Ohio, including all of the major medical centers.
Job settings include:
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
- Rehabilitation centers
- Sports medicine clinics
- Pediatric facilities
- Outpatient clinics
- Home health care
- Corporate or industrial centers
- Wellness centers
- Sports medicine facilities
- Schools systems
Health Requirement Completion GuideDownload the Experience Verification form for the Physical Therapist Assistant program
Drug Screening Info (Students must check with their program manager BEFORE they proceed with a Drug Screen)
PTA Program Student Outcomes
Reported each year to the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
Graduation Rates:
Percentage of students who graduated within 150% of program length.
| Graduation Year | Single Year | *2 Year Avg. (>60%) |
| 2017 | 94.40% | 2016-17 (84.2%) |
| 2018 | 85.70% | 2017-18 (90.1%) |
| 2019 | 73.70% | 2018-19 (79.7%) |
| 2020 | 82.40% | 2019-20 (78.1%) |
*CAPTE requires 60% over 2 years
Licensure Pass Rates:
Percentage of students who passed the NPTE licensing exam.
| Graduation Year | First Time | Ultimate | *2 Year Avg. (>85%) |
| 2017 | 79% | 94.70% | 2016-17 (97.4%) |
| 2018 | 66.70% | 77.80% | 2017-18 (86.3%) |
| 2019 | 71.40% | 92.90% | 2018-19 (84.4%) |
| 2020 | 92.30% | 100% | 2019-20 (96.3%) |
*CAPTE requires 85% over 2 years
Employment Rates:
Percentage of graduates who obtained employment within 1 year.
| Graduation Year | Single Year | *2 Year Avg. (>90%) |
| 2017 | 100% | 2016-17 (100%) |
| 2018 | 100% | 2017-18 (100%) |
| 2019 | 100% | 2018-19 (100%) |
| 2020 | NA | 2019-20 (NA) |
*CAPTE requires 90% over 2 years
Web Resources
- American Physical Therapy Association
- Ohio Physical Therapy Association
- Ohio Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy/ Athletic Trainer Board
See which states this program meets licensure/certification requirements.